1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for readily converting a cannister vacuum cleaner into a unit having all of the advantages of an upright vacuum cleaner while retaining the desirable features of the cannister cleaner itself. More particularly, it is concerned with a conversion device including a mobile base for releasably supporting a cannister vacuum cleaner, a power head located on the base, and a conduit for connecting the cannister unit to the power head.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Previous vacuum cleaners can be classified as either a cannister-type or an upright-type. Each type of vacuum cleaner has its own peculiar advantages and disadvantages. Cannister-type vacuum cleaners have large motors and provide powerful cleaning suction. The large motor requires a correspondingly large housing, however, and this restricts the maneuverability of such a cleaner. Manufacturers addressing this problem have equipped cannister cleaners with cleaning nozzles connected to the cleaner by means of an elongated flexible hose. The nozzle and hose are maneuverable and facilitate cleaning but, as may be readily ascertained, only in an area within the length of the hose connecting the nozzle to the cleaner. Also, the nozzle has no provision for adjustment to different floor surfaces, and this is a decided disadvantage inasmuch as various kinds of carpeting and the like are encountered in use.
Upright-type cleaners generally have smaller motors than do cannister-type cleaners and the cleaning nozzle is an integral part of the cleaner. This arrangement is advantageous to the extent that a smaller, integrated cleaner is decidedly more maneuverable and may be adjusted to different types of floor surfaces. Less powerful suction produced by the smaller motor, however, reduces the cleaning efficiency of upright cleaners in comparison to cannister cleaners. So, manufacturers equip upright cleaners with beater bars driven by the motor to physically agitate the floor surface during cleaning. The physical agitation of the floor surface by the beater bar loosens dirt or the like on the floor surface for easier vacuum removal. This cleaning arrangement is still not as efficient as that of a cannister-type cleaner with its larger motor, however.
Consumers requiring a suction cleaner have heretofore been forced to choose between the high suction cleaning efficiency advantage of a cannister-type cleaner, and the maneuverability and adjustability advantages of an upright-type cleaner. In situations necessitating powerful suction, maneuverability, and adjustability features, consumers have needed to purchase and have available both cannister and upright cleaners; obviously, this is less than optimum from an economic standpoint.
A number of vacuum cleaner devices have been proposed in the past. These devices have not met the need for a cleaner combining the advantages of both upright and cannister cleaners. Patents illustrating these prior units include: U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,703,863, 1,728,021, 2,175,644, 2,210,951, 2,219,810, 2,266,075, 2,303,409, 2,310,268, 2,871,504, 3,063,082, 3,358,316, and 4,008,505.